Type-writing machine.



G. W. SPONSBL. TYPE WRITING MACHINE.

APPLIOATION IIL'BD AUG. 13, 1907. RENEWED JUNE 19, 1912.

Patented Mar. 11, 1913 4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

WITNESSES NcxmsFulns mpumu wAsmnuION o c G. W. SPONSEL;

TYPE WRITING MACHINE.

APPLIOATION FILED we. 13, 1907. RENEWED JUNE 19, 1912.

Patented Mar. 11, 1913 v SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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G. W. SPONSEL. TYPE WRITING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED AUG. 13, 1907. RENEWED JUNE 19, 1912. 1,055,566.

Patented Mar. 11,1913.

4 sums-sum s.

R m N W W man's Hum C. W. SPONSEL.

TYPE WRITING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED AUG. 1s, 1907. RENEWED JUNE 19, 1912. 1,055,566.

Patented Mar. 11, 1913.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

g I/VVE/VTOH AT HNEYS %TNESSS either side thereof.

TGE.

ommLEs WILLIAM SPONSEL, or HARTFORD, coinvnc'riour, assienon, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO THE NOISELESS TYPEWRITER COMPANY, OF MIDDLETOWN, CON:

NECTICUT, A CORPORATIQN OF CONNECTICUT.

YPE-warmers MACHINE.

Application filed August 13. 1907, Serial No. 388,282. Renewed Jane 19, 1912.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patentedltiar. 11,1913.

Serial No. 704.684,

exact description, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to typewritin'g machines, and has for its main object to provide improved means for supporting the platen against a receding movement during" jprinting winle allowing it to be shifted from its normal printing position to other printing positions, or, to be moved toward or from thenormal printing plane.

Another object of the invention is to provide improved. means for holding the platen in a normal central position so as to enable impressions to be made from the middle type of type bars provided with three printing characters.

Anothen object is to provide simple and efficient means for shifting the platen such that while the same .is always held in a nor mal central or intermediate position, it may be readily shifted to a printing position to A further object is to provide improved means for counter-balancing a. vertically shiftable platen.

Gthei objects will be in part obvious and in part pointed out hereinafter. The invention accordingly consists in th features of construction. combinations of elements and arrangement of parts which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter set forth. and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawings wherelii is illustrated one of the various possible embodiments of my invention; Figure isia vertical sectional view taken transversely "of a t-ypewriting machine equipped therewith. certain of the parts being shown in side'ele vation. Fig. 2 is a top plan of the typewriting machine showing the same. Fig. 3 is a rear elevation thereof. and F 1g. 4: 1s a top plan view showing' the means employed for 'counterbalancing the platen.

In the accompanying drawings 1 indicates the frame of a typewriting machineand 2 indicates a plate or bed supported by the side walls 3 of the machine upon which the type bars, one of which is shown at i, are adapted to rest and across which they are projected to impression by means not herein shown.

Extending transversely 'of the machine in the central portion thereof is a tie rod 5, the rear portion 5 of which is provided with tongues 6 which slide upon matching tongues 7 formed underneath plate or bed The forward portion of the tie rod coniprises a screw threaded member '8 which has a threaded connection with the rear portion at 9 and at its fo rward end extends through the front wall of the machine at 10. M em her 8 has at its forward end an adjusting handle ll which takes against the front walls of the machine and by means of which the same may be revolved to thereby adjust the rear portion 5 forwardly or rearwardly, the purpose of which will be apparent hereinafter. The rear portion 5' of the center tie drops downwardly from the top plate, then extends toward the rear and then upwardly at an angle. and finally terminates in a vertical extension or horn 19 having a vertically disposed slot 13.

The rear portion 5 of the tie rod is pro vided with a pair of oppositely disposed lateral extensions 1- at the outer ends of which are formed vertical ways 15. The outer ends of extensions 1+1 rest upon feet 14 formed upon the frame of-the machine. days 15 are adapted to receive legs 16 which depend from a rail 17 upon which the platen carriage 18 is adapted to ride for letter spacing. llaten carriage 18 com prises a frame which supports a paper roll 19. a rack 20 and such other devices as may be desired. the platen being located in a forward portion of the fllli1.'$ill(ll platen comprising; a bar or plate 21. extending between the end walls of the platen frame. as clearly shown .in Fig. 2 of the drawings. Platen carriage 18 has a rearwardlv extending portion 22 which carries a plate 23 having a downwardly extendingportion 2i which takes behind a roller 2.) journaled upon a stud 2G fixed to an angle block 27. the latter being slidablv mounted in slot l3'of a horn 12. Plate 93 rides upon roller when the carriage fed for letter spac and block 27 rides in slot 13 whemthe platen carriage is shifted for letter spacing. It will be noted that plate 23 bears aiminst horn 19 said horn forming an in1in i*abh-.-, abutment which operates to vent yielding of the platen under pres printing instrumentalities when projected to impression.

Platen carriage 18 is provided with pending portions which carry a yoke Yoke 28 takes about rai 17 and'said de pending portions have rollers or casters 29 journaled thereon which. ride upon the lattened upper portion 30 of rail 17. Rack. 20 is carried by arms 31 journaled upon the platen frame and meshing with this rack the feed pinion 32 of escapen'lent shaft 33.

Rack 20 rests upon a roller 34 carried by a collar 35 in which the escapement shaft is journaled. A spring 36 engages the rack and holds the same in engagement with the feed pinion irrespective of the vertical. disposition of the platen carriage.

In the present instance each of the type bars is shown as being provided with three types, the platen. being by means of rail. 17 supported in such position as to normally receive impressions from the middle type of the type bars. The platen is also through rail 17 made shiftable upward and downward from its normal intermediate position to enable it to receive impressions from the upper and lower types of the type bars. In order to attain these ends a rock shaft 37 is journaled at either end in a pair of brackets 38 which depend from plate or bed 2. If desired this rock shaft can be supported in the rear portion 5 of the tie rod and the brackets omitted although I prefer the construction shown herein.

Ext-ending rearwardly from rock shaft 37 at either end thereof and fixed thereto are arms 39. These arms at their rear ends have journaled thereon anti-friction rollers 40, said rollers being carried upon pins ll. extending between lugs 42 formed upon the rear ends of arms 39. Arms 39 extend rearwardly and enter slots 4-3 provided in legs 16 of rail 17 the top walls of said slots rest.- ing upon rollers 4 0. Arms 39 therefore, constitute supports for rail 17 and the platen carriage mounted thereon.

Positioned about rock shaft 31'', in the present instance, is a coil spring 44; one end of which is attached to the shaft, the other end thereof being attached to a collar 43 loosely mounted on said shaft, said collar having ratchet teeth 46' which mesh with corresponding teeth formed upon a collar 47 fixed to one of brackets 38 by means oil a pin 48. Spring d4 constitutes a counterbalancing means through rock shatt 3i and I I FY 4" arms 39 for rail ll and the platen rrame upper or lower types of the type bar possess mounted thereon. The tension of spring 44 may be changed by rotating collar withtor-balancing spring in its adjusted posititu Depending troni rock shaft 3Tis an arm 49 which isadapted to be swungiii-opposite directions to oscillate rock shaft 37;.said operations through arms and legs 16 mon ing rail. 17 upwardly or downwardly fto carry the platen to a position opposite the Any desiredv means may be en'ip'loyed for swinging arm 49 to etl ect the above operations. In the present instance I have shown schematically a platen shifting mechanism disclosed in an application of Daniel B. l Veston, Serial No. 388,327 filed. of even date herewith. This mechanism comprises a which rides in a cam track 52.xvhich is formed upon arcs of different radii so that when lever 50 is caused to swing upwardly or downwardly it will be given an end-wise movement in a direction dependingupon the direction in which it is swung, and thereby swing arm -19 in a corresponding direction. Lever 50 is adapted to be swung upwardly or downwardly by mean's of a link 53 having a pivotal connection with a pair of shift levers 54 and One of these shift. levers through its connection with link 53 operates to depress the same, and the other of said shift levers when, depressed operates to raise the same. Shitt't levers 5dand are normally held in a raised position against a cushioned stop by means of coil springs,

one of which is shown at 57, said shift levers when in their raised positions holding lever 50 in a position shown and in engagement with a dwell 58 formed intermediate the ends of cam track lVith the parts in the position shown the shiftable rail is held in its normal central position and the platen is located in position to receive impressions from the middle type of the type bars. Dwells 59 and 60 are also formed ateither end of cam track 52 said dwells through their engagement with roll 51 operating; to determine the shifted position of the platen.

Havinp' thus described this embodiment of my invention, the operation thereof is substantially as follows: The platen frame v masses the normal printing plane, and the position of the platen with respect to this plane may be indicated to the operatorby means of a pointer 61 attached to the handle which cooperates with scale 62 located upon the ront wall of the machine. .During this movement the rear. portion of the tie rod slides upon the supporting tongues '7 formed underneath bed 2. Inasmuch as the platen frame, carriage rack and vertically supporting rail are carried by the rear portion of the tie rod, all these parts will be caused to move forwardly or rcarwardly during the above described adjusting operation, such movement being permitted by the rollers 40 which enter the slots 43 of legs 16 and which carry a vertically shiftable rail. 'lhis adjustment is, however, slight, it being merely necessary to move the platen to such position as will enable the same to receive the proper amount of pressure exerted by the type bars, as when a greater or less number of sheets are to-be written upon. When it is desired to shift the platen to a printing position to either side of its normal intermediate position, such operation may be caused by depressing either ofthe shift levers 54 or 55 which through the above dein either direction and effect thereby corresponding movements of the platen through the vertically shiftable rail 17: Counterbalancing spring at at all times operates to balance the carriage and rail so that the same may be readily shifted upwardly or downwardly from their normal intermediate positions with the expenditure of very little power.

It will accordingly be seen that I have provided a construction well adapted to attain, among others, all the above ends and objects of my invention above enumerated. The vertically shiftable rail whichcarries the platen may be perfectly balanced and caused to maintain the platen always in an intermediate position in such manner that little power is necessary to shift the same to a printing position at either side thereof. The platen may also be readily adjustedwith respect to the common plane occupied by the face of the type when they are projected to impression without racking or straining the remaining parts of the mechanism. The platen, moreover, is supported against movement against pressure exerted by the type bars when thrust to impression.

As many changes could be made. in the above construction and many apparently widely diit'ereiit' embodiments of this invention-could be made without departing from the scope theneof, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a scribed mechanism causes arm 42) to swing limiting sense. It is also to be understood that the, language used in the following claims is intended to cover all of the generic and specific features of the invention herein described and all statements of the scope of the invention which, as a matter of late guage, might be said to fall therebetween.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: p

1. In a typewriting machine, the combination with the platen, of means extending transversely of the machine and forming a rigid backing for the platen, a rail upon. which the platen rides for letter spacing. and means for shifting said rail upwardly or downwardly from an intermediate position to carry the platen to ditlerent printing positions.

in a typewriting machine, the combination with the platen, of means extending transversely ofthe machine to a position behind the platen and adapted to form a rigid backing therefor, a shiftable rail fixed aga1nst endwlse movement upon winch said platen rides for letter spacing, and means, for lifting or depressing said rail to carry the platen to different printing positions.

3. In a typewriting machine, in combination with the platen, means extending transversely of the machine and rearwardly of the platen to form a rigid backing there for, a rail mounted to move vertically with respect to said backihg means and forming a support for the platen, means for lifting or depressing said rail to carry the platen to different printing positions, and means for moving said backing means in opposite directions to move the platen with respect to the printing plane.

' 4. Ina type 'riting machine, the combination with the platen carriage, of a platen carried thereby, a rigid abutment. arranged behind the platen. carriage, a tail .ipon which the platencarriage rides for letter spacing, and means for lifting or depressing said rail to carry the platen to ditl'ereut printing positions.

ii. In a typowriting machine. in combination, a platen, a member anclmred in the framing of the machine and extending transversely thereof adapted to form a rigid abutment for the platen, a rail fixed against endwise movement upon which the platen rides for letter spacing. means for lifting or depressing said rail to carry the platento different printing tmsitions, and means for moving said member in opposite-directions whereby the platen will be carried to or from the normal printing plane. 6. in a typewriting machineyin combina ticn, a platen, a member, one end of which fu-rnishes a backing for the platen and having the opposite end thereof anchored in the frame of the machine, a shiftable rail tion with the platen, a member, one end of v. which furnishes a rigid backing for the platen and having the opposite end thereof anchored in the framing of the machine,

said member operating to maintain the 1 platen against movement during printing, a rail upon which the-platen rides for letter spacing, said rail normally retaining the platen m an lntermediate printing position, means for raising or lowering. said rail to carry the platen to a printing position at either side of anormal central position, and means for changing the operative length of said first mentioned member, whereby the platen may be moved to or from the normal printing plane,

8-. In-a typewriting machine, the combination with the platen, of a rod anchored in the front wall of the framing of the machine and. extending rearwardly to a point behind the printing point of the platen to furnish a rigid backing .for the platen, a

vertically shiftable, rail mounted in ways provided in said rod, said rail forming a support upon which the platen rides during 3 its letter spacing movements,and means for lifting or depressing said rail to carry the platento different printing positions.

I 9. In a typewriting machine, in combination, 'a platen, extensible means extending 5 rearwardly from the front portion of the frame of the machine-to a point behind the platen to form a rigid support therefor, a rail movable vertically with respect to said extensible means, upon which the platen is 40 adapted to ride during its'letter spacing movements, and means for raising or depressing said rail.

10. In a tvpewrting machine, in'combinat-ion, a platen, means for adjusting the platen 5 with respe t to the printingvplane, a rail upon which the platen is adapted to ride during its letter spacing movements, and means for raising or lowering said rail to carry the platen to a printing position at either side of its normal printing position.

11. In a typewriting machine, in combination,,a platen, means fo Listing the platen with respect to the comm n plane occupied by the faces of the types when carried to impressio-n, a' rail interposed in the support of the platen upon which the same is adapted to ride for letter spacing, and means for shifting said rail whereby the platen will be carried to a different printing position.

1-2. In a typewriting machine, in combination, a' platen, a rigid abutment for the platen means for moving said abutment to cause the platen to advance toward the printing plane or to move rearwardly therefrom,

a rail upon which the platen is adapted to noeaaee ride for letter spacing, and means for raising or depressing said rail to carry the platen to difierent printing positions.

13. In a typewriting machine,in combina tion, a platen, a member forming a rigid abutment therefor and extending forwardly therefrom, a screw threaded member anchored in the front wall of the machine and cooperating with said first mentioned mem her to move said platen toward or from the printing plane, a rail upon which the platen is adapted to ride for letter spacing, and

means for lifting or depressing said rail to carry the platen to a printing position at either side of its normal printing position.

14. In a typewriting machine, in combination, a carriage adapted to support the platen, an abutment adapted to prevent yielding of the platen supporting means when the platen is engaged by the printing instrumentalities, means for moving said abutment whereby the platen may be moved with respect to the printing plane, a rail upon which the platen is adapted to ride for letter spacing, and means for lifting or depressing said rail,

15. In a typewriting machine, in combination, a platen, a support for the platen, a tie rod for the platen support, one end of which furnishes a rigid abutment for the platen support behind the printing point of the platen, the opposite end thereof being anchored in the front wall of the frame of the machine, a rail carried by said tie rod and adapted to be shifted vertically with respect thereto, said platen support being adapted to ride upon said rail during the letter spacing movements of the platen, and

means for raising or lowering said rail whereby the platen support will be raised or lowered and the platen moved to a printing position at either side of its normal printing position. i

16. In a ty mwriting machine, in combination, a platen, an abutment adapted to prevent yielding of the platen when the same is engaged by the printing instrumentalities means connected with the rigid portion of the frame of the machine for holding said abutment in a stationary position. a vertically shiftable rail upon which the platen rides during its letter spacing movements, and means for raising or lowering said rail.

17. In a typewriting machine, in combination. a platen support, a rigid abutment for the platen support means interposed between said platen support and said abutment adapted to slide upon said abutment when the platen is shifted to another printing position. said platen support being adapted to slide in said last ment oned means when letter spacing movement is ab forded, a rail upon which the platen support is carried and upon whichthe same 1s -machine, of means for effectively resisting the pressure of the type bars against the platen, comprising a member anchored in the front wall of the machine and extending rearwardly from frame to form an abut-- ment, a platen support, means interposed between said platen support and said abutmentadapted to permit the same to-be shifted upwardly or downwardly from a normal central position. or to be fed for letter spacing, a rail upon which the platen supportis adapted to rise, and means for raising or depressing said rail.

19. In a typewriting machine, in combi nation with the platen, a member extending.

rearwarclly from the front wall of the ma chine to form an abutment for the platen,- means for changing the length of said memher whereby the platen may he moved with respect to the normalprinting plane, a rail mounted for vertical movement in said member upon which the platen is adapted to ride for letter spacing, and means for rais- -ing or depressingsaid rail to carry the platen to a different printing position.

20. In a t i -'pewriting machine, the combination with the platen, of a platen support, a tie rod anchored in the frontwall of the machine and extending reariiardly therefrom and thence upwardly to form an'abutment for the platen support, a rail upon which the platen support is adapted to ride for letter spaciiig, and means for lifting or depressing said rail.

21. In a typewriting machine, in combination, a platen, a vertically shiftable frame adapted to carry the platen, an abutment for the platen frame adapted to prevent yielding of the platen under pressure of the printing instrun'ientalitics, a rail fixed againstendwise movement. upon which the platen frame is adapted to ride when a lerter spacing movement is afforiled. and means for lifting or depressing said rail whereby the platen will he carried to a printing position arranged at either side of a normal printing position.

22. In a' typewriting machine, in combi pressing said rail to cause corresponding movements of the platen.

23. In a typewriting machine, in combination, a platen, a frame for supporting the platen, an abutment for the frame against which the same presses when the printing instrumentalities are pressed against the platen, said abutment. being provided with an extension projecting forwardly beneath the platen, means for connecting the forward end of said abutment with the front wall of the frame of the machine, a rail upon which the platen frame rides during the letter spacing movei'nenis thereof, said rail being adapted to be shifted vertically in ways provided. in the lateral extensions of said abutment, and means for shifting said rail upward or downward to carry the platen to a position at either side of a normal intermediate printing position.

2st. In a typewriting machine, in combination, a platen frame, a platen carried thereby and shiftable with said platen frame to other printing positions, an abutment forming a backing for the platen frame, said abutment being provided with a forward extension projecting beneath the platen and extending forwardly thereof, a member anchored in the framing of the machine and threaded into the end of said forward extension, a rail carried by legs which are slidably mounted in late :11 eX- tensions of said abutment, said rail being interposed in the support of said platen frame, and means-for raising or depressing said rail to shift the platen.

In a typewriting machine, the combi nation with a platen, of a tie rod extending centrally of the machine to a position behind the printing point of the platen and adapted to form a rigid backing therefor, a rail upon which the platen rides for letter spacing, a pair of legs depending from said rail and guided in said tie rod, and means operating through said legs to raise or depress said rail. I

26. In a ty 'iewriting machine, the combi' nation with a platen, of a tie rod anchored in the front wall of the machine and extending reariiardly therefrom and adapted to rm a rigid backing therefor, a frame upon which the platen is mounted, a rail having a pair of depending legs guided in lateral extensions of said tie rod, said platen frame being adapted to slide upoii'said rail when letter spacing movement is afforded, and means for raising or depressing said rail to carry the platen to other printing positions.

27. In a typewriting machine, the combination with a platen, of aframe in which the same is carried, a tie rod anchored in the front portion of the machine and ext-ending reai'wardly therefrom to form a rigid abutment for the platen, said tie rod being provided with a pair of oppositely disposed lat-- eral extensions, a rail having a pair of depending legs mounted to slide in ways pro= vided in the lateral extension of the tie rod, and rail being interposed in the supportof the platen frame which is adapted to ride thereon during its letter s acing movements, and means for raising or epressing said rail whereby the printing position at either side of printing position.

28. In a typewriting machine, in combination, a platen, a member, one end of which furnishes a backing for the platen and having the opposite end thereon-anchored in the frame of the machine, a shiftable rail upon which the platen rides for. letter spacing, and means for moving said rail to carry the platen to a different printing position.

.29. In a typewriting machine, the combination with the platen, of a rod anchored its normal in the front wall of the frame of the ma-,

chine. and extending rearwardly to a point behind the printing point of the platen and furnishing a rigid backing for the platen during printing, a vertically shifting rail mounted in ways provided in said rod. said rail forming a support upon which the platen rides during its letter spacing moveplaten will. be moved to the ment. and means for moving said rail to carry the platen to a different printingposition. I

30. In a typewriting' machine. the combination with a platen. mea'ns behind the impression point on said platen forming a rioid backing therefor, arail upon which said platen rides for letter. spacing, and means for shifting said, rail.

31. In a typewriting machine, in combination. a platen frame, a shiftable rail adapted t a the same and upon which said platen frame rides during its letter spacing movements. means for shifting said rail in the opposite direction from normal intermediate position. and means fon supporting said rail in said intermediate position. comprisin a rock shaft journaled in a fixed portion of the machine. arms fixed to said rock shaft and enqaoin underneath said ,rail, and a shrin c iled about said rock shaft, one end of which is fixed thereto. the opposite endthereof being secured to the support of said rock shaft.

In a typewriting machine, the combination with a shiftable carriage, of a rail upon which the same rests, legs depending from said rails, said legs being adapted to .slide in fixed ways. a rock shaft. a plurality of arms. extending from said rock shaft, the free end of said arms being in engagement with said legs. means for oscillating said rock shaft, and a spring coiled about said rock shaft and operating through the same to counterbalance said platen framev and said all.

In a typewriting machine, the combi nation with a platen carriage having a platen roller, a fixed backing in contact with said carriage diametrically opposite the im pression receiving part of said platen roller,

menace arail along which said carriage rides, and means for shifting said rail.

34. In a typewriting machine, the combination with the travehn platen carriage, of a vertically movable rail upon which said platen carriage slides during its letter spacing movement, a plurality of legs depending from said rail, a plurality of fixed ways each of which is adapted to receive and guide one of said legs, a rock shaft, a plurality of arms fixed upon said rock shaft, the opposite end of said arms entering slots provided in said legs, a shift arm fixed to said rock shaft, and means for swinging said latter arm whereby said rock shaft will be oscillated and said rail moved to shift the platen carriage.

35. In a' typewritingmaehine, the combination with the traveling platen carriage, of a vertically shiftable rail adapted normally to hold the platen frame and the platen in a normal intermediate position, a pair of legs depending from said rail and guided in fixed ways, a rock shaft, a air of arms fixed to said rock shaft, said .egs having slots adapted to receive the opposite ends of said arms, a spring coiled about said rock sha ft and operative through the same to counterbalance said rail and the platen carriage mounted thereon, and means for oscillating said rock shaft thereby causing the arms fixed thereon to be swung upwardly or downwardly and said rail moved incorresponding directions to shift the platen from its normal intermediate position to a printing position at either side thereof.

oppositely disposed lateral extensions, each 'of which is provided with. a vertically' disposed. way, a pair of legs depending from said rail, each of which is guided in one of said ways, a rock shaft, a pair of arms fixed upon said rock shaft, the outer end of said arms entering slots provided in said legs.

means for oscillating said rock shaft, and,

spring means operative through said rock shaft to counterbalance said rail and said platen frame.

37. In a typewriting machine, the combination with the platen of a frame in which the same is carried, a tie rod, anchored in the front portion of the machine and extending rearwardly therefron'i to form a rigid abutment for the platen. said tie rod being whereby whensaid rock shaft. is oscillated said rail will be causedto move to shift the platen frame.

38. In a tvnewriting machine, the'combination with the platen, of a frame in which the'same is carried, a tie rod anchored in the front portion of the machine and extending rearwaroly therefrom to form a rigid abutment for the platen, said tie rod being provided with a pair of oppositely disposed extensions, a vertically shiftable rail having a pair of depending legs mounted to slide in ways provided in the lateral extensions of the tie rod, said rail being interposed in the support of the platen frame which is adapted to ride thereon during its letter spacing movement, a rock shaft, a plurality of arms extending from said rock shaft, said arms entering slots provided in the legs of the rail, a shift arm fixed upon said rock shaft, means for swinging'said shift arm to oscillate the. rock shaft, whereby said rail through said first-mentioned arms may be raised or lowered from a normal interme diate posit-ion to shift the platen to different printing positions, and spring means operative through said rockshaft to counterbalance said platen frame and said rail.

39. In a typewriting machine, the combination with the platen, of a frame in which the sameis carried, a tie rod anchored in the front portion of, the machine and extending rearivardly to form a rigid abutment for the platen, the rear portion of said tie rod being adapted to slide in ways'formed' in .a bed of the machine, means for moving the rear portion of said tie rod to carry the platen. toward or from the normal printing plane, said rear portion having a pair of oppositely disposed lateral extensions, vertical ways formed'in said extensions, a vertically shiftable rail upon which the platen frame rides during letter spacing, said rail being adapted to hold the platen in a normal intermediate printing position, a pair of legs depending from said rail, said legs bemg guided in ways formed in the lateral extensions of the tie rod, a plurality of brackets depending from the bed of the machine, a rock shaft journaled in said brackets, a plurality of arms extending from said rock shaft and entering slots provided in said legs, an arm fixed upon said rock shaft, a spring encircling said rock shaft and operative through the same to counterbalance the weight of said platen frame and said rail, and means operative through said shift arm -to oscillate said rock shaft, whereby the said rail may be moved upwardly or downwardly from its normal central position-to shift the platen to other printing positions.

40. In a t-ypewriting machine, in combination, a shiftable part, a rock shaft, intermediate means between said rock shaft and said shiftable part for transmitting motion from one to the other, a balancing spring associated with said rock shaft, and sprin means for returning said parts to normal position after being'shifted.

41. In a typewriting machine,incombination, 'a part shiftable in opposite directions from a normal intermediate-position, a rock shaft, mechanism intermediate said shiftable part and said rock shaft for transmitting motion from one to the other, a balancing spring associated with said rock shaft, and spring means for returning said shiftable part to normal position.

42. In a typewriting machine, in combination, a part shift-able in opposite directions from a normal intermediate position, a rock shaft, mechanism intermediate said shiftable part and said rock shaft for transmitting motion from one to the other, a balancing spring associated with said rock shaft, actuating means for rotating said rock shaft in opposite directions, and spring means connected to said actuating mechanism for returning said parts to normal posit'ion.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature, in the presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES WILLIAM SPONSEL.

lVitnesses:

ARTHURB. JENKINS, D. C. KREIMERDAHL. 

